Infant&#39;s bathing device



, Dec- 5, 1939. D. M. KENNEDY 2,182,669

INFANTS BATHING DEVICE Filed Sept. 30, 1959 57Sheets-Sheet l E INVENTOR.

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. mmn'r's BATHING DEVICE Filed Sept. 30', 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR gvgjmlfenflwcg ATTORNEYS I Dec. 5, 1939. D. KENNEDY w v 2,182,669;

INFANTS BATHING DEVICE Filed Sept. 30, 1939 S-Shets-Sheet 4" INVENT OR A jig/gym 1f 87272125 fa/4% r W" ATTORNEYS Dec. 5, 1939. D. M. KENNEDY INFANTS BATHING DEVICE Filed Se t. 30, 1939 S SheetSr-Sheet 5 6W6? I 677/7716 BY y Patented Dec. 5, 1939 \INFANTS BATHING DEVICE DeweyiM. Kennedy, Rochester, N. Y. Application September so, 1939, Serial No. 291,401

' 7 1o Clainis. fans-177i This invention relates to infants bathing .devices of the type which include-a folding tub with a collapsible cross leg support therefor and the present invention is particularly directed to 5 certain improvements in said collapsible cross leg support, and is a continuation in part of my co-pending application, Serial No. 255,013 filed February 7, 1939.

Heret'ofore the cross leg supports of. devices -.of

this character have generally been de ignedand intended to rest upon a level horizontal supporting surface, such as a floor, but dueto the re stricted floor space in modern bathrooms, especially in apartment houses, a need has arisen for a cross leg support which is adapted for supporting the bathing device within a. stationary bathtub.

In order to supply this need, the present invention broadly comprehends inaninfants bathing device, an improved cross leg support, which is so constructed and arranged as to render the same readily adaptable for supporting the device either upon the floor or within a stationary bathtub.

The invention further .comprehends in anginfants bathing device, asupport including a pair of pivotally connected cross legs at each end wherein one of the legs of each pair includes upper and .lower sections which are connected together for movement of the lower sections from an active position in which the pairs of cross legs are adapted to support the device on the floor to an inactive position in which the device is adapted to be supported within a stationary bathtub with the said lower sections disposed in an out-of-the-way position, and means carried by the support and adapted to engage with the front wall of the bathtub for Fupporting the upper sections of said legs when the lower 0 sections thereof are moved to said out-of-theway position.

More particularly the invention resides in certain of its forms in an improved cross leg support of the indicated character in which the lower sections or terminal portions of one of the legs of each pair are pivoted to the upper sections thereof for swinging movement from an active position in alignment therewith for engagement with the floor to an inactive outof-the-way positio nand which legs carry hooked means adapted for embracing engagementQwith the edge of a stationary bathtub when the said lower sections or terminalportionsare swung to the inactive position.

5 The invention further embodies in another 0t its forms a cross leg -.support-in which the lower section or terminal-portions of one of the legs of each pair are connected with the upper sections thereof for slidingmovement from an active position in alignment therewith to a pine 5 vactive .out-of the-way position and with a yokecarried by. said .upper sections viorembracing-engagernent with the edgeof a stationary bath.- tub when the said lower sections or terminal portions are moved to the inactive outset-the- 10 ay posit on- I Due tothe fact that-the upper surface of the bottom :walls of stationary bathtubs are longitudinally pitchedfor drainage, it isnecessaryto compensate for said'pitchedsurfacelso as tov-in- 15 sure a level position and stabilizedsupport of the device within/a bathtub and to thisien'd'lthe present invention further embodies leveling means provided on one of the legs of each pair of ;legs of the cross leg support, which means 20 are independently and selectively adjustable ,ito" compensate for either alright or left hand pitch.

As a further feature} the invention .compree :hends locking-means for securely-retaining the said lower sections or terminal portions a d the 25 yoke respectively in their activeand inactive p0 sitions to thereby insure proper support of {the bathingdevice either "when supportedon .a floor or within a bathtub. 7 p v With the above enumerated andother objects 30 in view, "the invention is set forth in greater de tail in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying :drawings, in'which:

Fig. 1 isa perspective view illustrating ajbathing device constructed inaccordance with the invention, arranged within and suppopted .by .a' stationary bathtub which is broken away and shown in section-to more clearly disclose thein- I vention.

Fig. .2 is a vertical sectional view through the 4O bathingdevice'illustrating the cross leg support arranged to support the sameupon the floor.

Fig. 3 is a similarview illustrating? the cross leg support arranged to support the same within bathtub. 45- Fig. 4 isa vertical sectional view through a bathing device illustrating a modified form of cross leg support arranged to support'the-device within a stationary Eba-thtub.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the tub '50 engaging means.

Pg. '6 .is a vertical sectional view through a to support the device within a stationary bathtub.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the lower leg section disposed in a position for supporting the bathing device upon the constructed in accordance with a further mod.i--

fication of the invention and showing the same arranged to support the device within a stationary bathtub.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail fragmentary cross sectional view taken approximately on the -line lO--I of Fig. 9. 7

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the infants bathing device is of the type which includes a foldable tub A of flexible material, the opposite longitudinal upper edges of which tub are anchored to spaced parallel front and rear rails I0 and II of a collapsible support which consists of a pair of cross legs l2 and I3 at each end, which pairs of legs-are swingably connected together by means of pivots It with the rails I 0 connecting the upper ends of the legs [3 and the rails ll connecting the upper ends of the legs l2.

' In order to render the device adaptable to be supported either upon a horizontal surface, such as the floor B, as illustrated in Fig. 2, or within a stationary bathtub C, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the legs l2, in the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, each includes a lower section or terminal portion [5 which is pivotally connected to the upper section or remaining portion thereof by a hinge l6 to permit of the rearward swinging movement of said lower sections 15 from an active position in which the said lower sections are aligned with the upper sections or the remaining portions of said legs as shown in Fig. 2 and in which the pairs of cross legs are adapted to support the device upon the floor, to an inactive angularly disposed position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings in which the device is adapted to be supported within a stationary bathtub with the lower sections of said legs disposed in an out-cf-the-way position and the lower ends of the upper sections disposed adjacent to the front wall of the stationary bathtub. V

A yoke, designated generally by the reference character I1, is provided which includes a pair of hooked arms 18 joined by a bight l9, and which arms are designed to embracingly engage over the upper edge of the forward wall D of the stationary bathtub C. The free terminal portions 20 of the arms l8 are secured by clips 2| to the lower brace 22 of the legs l2 and the extremities 23 of the arm terminal portions are anchored to the lower sections l5. This secures the yoke I! to said lower sections l5 for sw'nging movement of the yoke and lower sections l5 from the inactive position of the yoke shown in Fig. 2, to the active position thereof shown in Figs. 1 and 3, wherein the bathing device is supported within the bathtub C by engagement of the yoke I! over the upper edge of the forward wall D of the bathtub C and the lower ends of the legs l3 rest upon the bottom wall E of the bathtub. The yoke is preferably amaeoo constructed of a metallic rod or wire and the bight and portions of the hooked arms 18 are preferably covered with a tubing 24 of rubber or other cushioning material.

In order to lock and securely retain the pivoted lower sections l5 and the yoke IT in their respective active and inactive positions, a pair of stay hinges or looking braces are employed which are designated generally by the reference character 25. Each stay hinge or looking brace 25 includes rigid strap sections 26 and 21 pivotally connected together at 28, each strap 26 being pivotally connected at its other end at 29 to a bearing ear 30 provided on the arm 18 of the yoke, while the other end of each strap 21 is pivotally connected at 3| to a leg l2 adjacent its point of pivotal connection M with a leg l3. Each strap 2'! is provided with a stop lug 32 which is adapted to engage with the strap 26 for limiting the stay hinge or locking brace to folding in one direction only and to dispose the straps 26 and 21 in aligned position when fully opened. In addition to the lug 32, the strap sections of each stay hinge are respectively provided with interengageable detent elements 33 and 34 which function to lock the strap sections in fully opened longitudinally aligned relation so as to prevent casual or unintentional folding thereof. When the stay hinge strap sections are in opened aligned relation, they serve as a means to secure the yoke in its active position for engagement over the upper edge of the front wall D of the bathtub C with the lower sections l5 swung rearwardly at an angle to the remainder of the legs l2 and to their out-of-the-way inactive position. It will be further noted that when the bathing device is supported on the floor, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the pivotal points of connection 28, 29 and 3| are disposed approximately at dead center so as to prevent casual or unintentional swinging of the lower sections l5 with reference to the remainder of the legs l2.

In order to compensate for the usual pitch of the upper surface of the bottom wall E of the bathtub C and thereby insure a level position and stabilized support of the device within the tub, the lower end of each leg [3 has pivotally connected thereto, as at 35, an element 36, the free terminal of which, when in its active position, is disposed under the lower end of the leg, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. It is understood that the elements 36 are selectively used on the legs l3 which are nearest the drain, while the other element 36 is disposed in an inactive position. When the bathing device is supported upon the floor B or an equivalent horizontal surface, both of the elements 36 are swung upwardly to an inactive position.

In this form of the invention, as well as in the remaining forms thereof, the legs l2, one of which is located at each end of the support. constitute the front legs. whilethe legs l3 constitute the rear legs thereof.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the legs l2 each includes a lower section or terminal portion 40 which is hinge'dly connected to the upper section or remaining portion thereof by a hinge 4| for rearward swinging of the lower sections from an active position in alignment with the upper sections thereof to an inactive outof-the-way position, as shown in Fig. 4. Adjainterengageable latch and keeper element 42 and 43 for locking the lower sections 40 to the upper sections of said legs in aligned active position therewith.

A pair of hooked arms 44 are provided which are adapted to engage with the inner face of the forward wall D of the stationary bathtub C and to extend over and embracingly engage the upper edge of the said forward wall. The inner ends of the hooked arms 44 are pivotally connected respectively to bearing ears 45 secured'to the upper sections of the legs l2 and have their rebent outer terminals 46 connected to the ends of a longitudinally extending bar 41 for effecting simultaneous swinging movement of the hooked arms on the pivotal connections 45 from the active position shown in Fig. 4 whereby the upper sections of the legs l2 are supported when the bathing device is disposed within the stationary bathtub C with the lower sections 40 of the said legs disposed in the out-of-the-way inactive position and with the hooked arms 44 engaging over the front wall D of the bathtub.

In order to lock and retain the hooked arms .44 in the active position shown in Fig. 4, a pair of stay hinges or looking braces, designated generally by the reference character 48, are providedwhich include rigid strap sections 49 and 50 pivotally connected together as at The strap sections 49 are respectively pivoted as at 52 to the upper sections of the legs l2 adjacent the pivotal connection I4 of the legs I! and 13, while the outer ends of the strap sections 50 are pivotally connected as at 53 to theends of the longitudinally extending bar 41. The strap sections 50 are each provided with a stop lug 54 adapted to engage with the strap section 49 for limiting the folding of the stay hinges 48 in one direction and to dispose the trap sections 49 and 50 in aligned position when fully extended for locking the hooked terminals 44 in engagement over the upper edge of the forward wall D of the stationary bathtub.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive, the legs l2- each includes a lower section or terminal portion 60 which is hingedly connected to the upper section or remaining portion thereof by a hinge SI for forward swinging of the lower sections from a position in alignment with the upper sections thereof for supporting thev bathing device upon the floor to an angularly disposed position as shown in Figs. 6 and 8 of the drawings when the device is arranged and supported in a stationary bathtub. In this form of the invention, a pair of hooked arms 62 are provided for embracing engagement over the upper edge of the forward wall D of a stationary bathtub C when the lower sections are swung to said angularly disposed position for supporting the bathing device within the said bathtub, and said hooked arms have their inner ends pivotally connected to the underside of a cross brace 63 joining the lower sections 60 and are located adjacent the ends of said cross brace for pivotal swinging movement from the active position shown in Fig. 6 in which the hooked arms are adapted to engage over the upper edge of the said wall D to an inactive position in the plane of and between the lower sections 50 of the legs 12 as shown in Fig. 7.

A pair of locking braces 64 are pivoted at one of their ends to the lower sections 60 respectively and are each provided at their opposite ends with a bayonet slot 65 which engages a pivot pin 66 carried by a bracket 61 secured to the upper section of each of said legs I2. This permits of the forward swinging of the lower sections 50 from the aligned position shown in Fig. 7 to the angularly disposed position shown in Figs. 3 and 8 and the locking of the said lower sections in both positions by engagement of the pins 66 in the;

offset portions at the inner end of the bayonet slots 65.

In the form of the invention illustrated inFigs.

9 and of the drawings, the legs I! of the support each includes a lower section or terminal portion 10 which is of tubular construction and is arranged upon the lower end'ofthe upper section or remaining portion thereof for sliding movement from an-extended position in which the legs I! are of the same length as the legs l3 for 'support- 7 ing the bathing device upon the floor to a retracted position as shown in Fig. 9 when the bath ing device is arranged and supported within a stationary bathtub.

The lower sections 10 are provided with elongated slots 1| through which protrudes ascrew 12 for engagement by a wing nut 13 for locking the lower sections 10 in extended or retracted position. This form of the invention is provided with a pair of hooked arms 44 for embracing engagement over the upper edge of the forward wall D of a stationary bathtub C and a pair of stay hinges 48 for locklng'the hooked terminals in engagement over the upper edge of the said forward wall D and which hooked arms and stay hinges are of the same construction as that used inassociation with the form of the'lnvention shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In this form, however, the lower sections 10 are each provided with an elongated slot 14 through which protrudes the bearing ear 45 carried by the upper" sections of the legs l2 so as to permit of sliding movement of the lower sections 10 on the lower ends of said legs [2.

In lieu of the adjustable elements 38 in the other forms of the invention for compensating for the pitch in the upper surface of the bottom wall E of the bathtub C, the legs IS in this form of the invention are each provided with a tubular foot 15 telescopi'callyengaging the lower ends-of the said legs and adapted to be locked in adjusted position thereon by a set screw 16; The feet 15 are adapted tobe selectively retracted or extended for equalizing the lengths of the legs l3 when the bathing device is supported upon the floor or shortening one or. the other of the said legs when the bathing device is supported in a stationary bathtub.

What is claimed is:

1. In an infants bathing device, a cross leg support including pivotally connected pairs of front and rear legs, each of said front legs having a hingedly connected lower portion thereof adjustable from an active position in alignment therewith for engagement with the floor, to an inactive position, and means carried by said front leg portions and adjustable therewith for engaging the front wall of a bathtub to cooperate with the rear legs for supporting said bathing device withinsaid bathtub when the front leg portions are adjusted to an inactive position.

2. In an infant's bathing device, a cross leg support-including pivotally connected pairs of front and'rear legs, each of said front legs having a hingedly connected lower portion thereof .swingable rearwardly from an active position in in said bathtub when the front legportions are swung rearwardly. r

3. In an infant's bathing device. a cross leg support including pivotally connected pairs of front and rear legs, each of said front legs having a hingedly connected lower portion thereof swingable rearwardly from an active position in alignment therewith for engagement with the floor to an inactive position, hooked means carried by said front leg portions and swingable therewith for engaging over the upper edge of the front wall of a bathtub to cooperate with the rear legs for supporting said bathing device within said bathtub when the front leg portions are swung rearwardly, and a common means for locking said front leg portions and said hooked means respectively in their active positions.

4. In an infants bathing device, a support including pairs of pivotally connected crossed legs, corresponding legs of each pair having hingedly connected lower terminal portions, said terminal portions being swingable rearwardly from an active position in alignment therewith to an inactive. position, and arms carried by said terminal portions and swingable therewith and extending upwardly therefrom and provided with hooked end portionsforengagement over the upper edge of the front wall of a bathtub to cooperate with the opposite pairs of legs for supporting said bathing device within said bathtub when the said lower terminal portions are swung rearwardly.

5. In an infants bathing device, a support including pairs of pivotally connected crossed legs, corresponding legs of each pair having hingedly connected lower terminal portions, said terminal portions being swingable rearwardly from an aligned active position for engagement with the floor to an inactive position, arms carried by said terminal portions and swingable therewith and extending upwardly therefrom and provided with hooked end portions for engagement over the upper edge of the front wall of a bathtub to cooperate with the opposite pair of legsfor supporting said bathing device within said bathtub when the said lower terminal portions are swung rearwardly, pairs of hingedly connected strap elements pivotally connected to the hooked end portions of said arms and to the support adjacent the pivotal connection of the crossed legs, and stop means on said hingedly connected strap elements for limiting the folding thereof in one direction and for locking said lower terminal portions and said hooked end portions respectively in their active positions.

6. In an infant's bathing device, a cross leg support, including pivotally connected pairs of front and rear legs, each of said front legs having a hingedly connected lower terminal swingable rearwardly from an active poistion in alignment therewith for engagement with the floor to an inactive position, means carried by said front leg terminals and swingable therewith for engaging the front wall of a bathtub to cooperate with the rear legs for supporting said bathing device within a stationary bathtub when the front leg terminals are swung rearwardly, a common means for locking said front leg terminals andsaid first means respectively in their active pos tions, and means on the lower ends of said rear legs selectively adjustable to an active position to compensate for the pitch of the upper surface of the bottom wall of said stationary bathtub.

7. In an infant's bathing device. a cross leg supportincluding pivotally connected pairs of front and rear legs. each of said front legs having a hingedly connected lower terminal swingable rearwardly from an active position in alignment therewith for engagement with the floor to an inactive position, hooked means carried by said front leg terminals and swingable therewith for engaging over the upper edge of the front wall of a stationary bathtub to cooperate with the rear legs for supporting said bathing device within said stationary bathtub when the front leg terminals are swung rearwardly, a common means for locking said front leg terminals and said hooked means respectively in their active positions, and means on the lower ends of said rear legs selectively adjustable to an active position to compensate for the pitch of the upper surface of the bottom wall of said bathtub.

8. In an infa'nts bathing device, a support including a pair of pivotally connected cross legs at each end, one of the legs of each pair including upper and lower sections, means connecting the sections of each of said legs together for movement of the lower sections from an active position in which the pairs of cross legs are adapted to support the device upon the floor to an inactive position in which the device is adapted to be supported within a stationary bathtub with the lower sections of said legs disposed in an out-of-the-way position and the lower ends of the upper sections disposed adjacent to the front wall of the bathtub, and means carried by said support and adapted to engage with the front wall of the bathtub for supporting the upper sections of said ,legs when the lower sections are moved to said out-of-the-way position.

9. In an infant's bathing device of the type having a flexible tub and an associated dressing table, a support therefor including a pair of pivotally connected cross legs at each end thereof, one of the legs of each pair including upper and lower sections, means connecting the sections of each leg together for movement of the lower sections from an active position in which the pairs of cross legs are adapted to support the device on the floor to an inactive position in which the device is adapted to be supported within a stationary bathtub with the lower sections of said legs disposed in an out-of-the-way position and the said flexible tub and dressing table disposed adjacent to and above the front wall of the stationary bathtub, and means carried by said support and adapted to engage over the front wall of the stationary bathtub for supporting the said upper sections when the lower sections are moved to the out-of-theway position.

10. In an infants bathing device, a support including a pair of pivotally connected cross legs at each end, one of the legs of each pair including upper and lower sections, means connecting the sections of each leg together for movement of the lower sections from an active position in which the pairs of cross legs are adapted to support the device on the floor to an inactive posi-- tion in which the device is adapted to be supported within a stationary bathtub with the lower sections of said legs disposed in an out-of-the-way position, and means carried by said upper and lower sections and movable with the lower sections for engagement with the front wall of the stationary bathtub when the lower sections are moved to the out-of-the way position.

DEWEY M. KENNEDY. 

